What is Prototype Tooling?

Prototype tooling is also known as soft or rapid tooling, a method used for creating the tooling used in prototype injection molding. This method can efficiently produce less expensive tooling than traditional hard tooling, so it’s ideal for low-quantity production of prototype parts.

Common materials used to create tooling:

• Silicone rubber
• Aluminum alloy
• Steel/aluminum hybrid
• Soft steel

These materials are cost-effective, so they’re excellent options for creating the molds. Prototype tooling is also faster, eliminating the traditional wait time and reducing costs and delays.

Importance of Prototyping Tooling for Prototype Injection Molding

Prototype injection molding is a manufacturing process used to create a prototype part or component for testing purposes. Designers and engineers refer to this process as the bridge-to-production method, allowing our clients to confirm the part quality to minimize risk while validating the product before it proceeds to mass production.

Quality but low-cost tooling is required for prototype injection molding before the project hits the production stage. During this time, prototype tooling is used to produce quality molds at affordable prices. The prototype parts created from prototype tooling are near-production products that allow our clients to evaluate them during the early stages.

Benefits of prototype parts achieved through prototype injection molding:

• Discover any design problems
• Estimate production costs, manufacturing time, and material requirements
• Determine fit and durability
• Receive quality feedback from end users
• Identify areas of improvement
• Establish the final function and design

Opting for prototype injection molding over other methods can save time and money since prototype tooling is a method often used for rapid production, even in low quantities. As part of our Prototype Development Services, we can also test your prototype part to ensure it works as intended, guaranteeing your product’s success.

Industries that Rely on Prototype Injection Molding

Prototype injection molding is used by numerous demanding industries that want to ensure their products are free from any errors. Through prototype injection molding, our clients receive imperative information required to manufacture error-free and accurate final products, which avoids expensive problems caused by part failure.

Industries that benefit from prototype injection molding:

• Automotive: 
• Aerospace
• Medical Devices
• Electronics
• Consumer Products

Prototype injection molding is widely used across these industries because of its irrefutable advantages. It allows for a quick and affordable method for producing prototypes, making it ideal for projects with a shorter timeline and tighter budgets.

Let Nicolet Plastics Handle Your Prototype Tooling Needs

We support our clients by offering our Prototype Development Services where we can test your prototype parts through our affordable testing methods while sourcing high-performance prototype tooling for custom prototype injection molding applications.

If you’re interested and want to know more about our services, don’t hesitate to contact us today. You may also request a quote, and our team can develop a cost-effective solution that will cater to your specifications and requirements.